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Behavior around swarm traps

I put a trap in an area where I had seen bee activity before. Single used deep with three well used frames of comb. Today, I saw a lot of bees coming in and entering the box. Not regular hive activity, but either investigative, or local bees harvesting some tidbits. No honey in the frames. Can you differentiate between the two behaviors? What would I look for if there is an observable difference? Seems like the bees are checking things out but might just be trying to locate the "goodies".
Thoughts
Thanks

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

You could watch how they take off...if they're arriving "light" with no pollen on their legs, and leaving "heavy" or laden with pollen, they're thieves...otherwise there's a decent chance they're scouts.

OR...you could wait a couple three days, check on 'em again & if you see normal hive activity, they were scouts...lol

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

If they are bringing in stores then they may have a queen. When you see a swarm trap with a colony that has moved in the activity is quite busy. You will learn to differentiate between a colony and just scouts soon enough!

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

You can put your ear up to the side of the box and if you hear one or two lonely bees buzzing in there they are scouts. If there is a low hum there are thousands of bees in there and that have moved in!

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

Scouts fly around in circles and go in and out the entrance. Some are checking the cracks between box and lid. Wrestling and fighting is a good sign. Killing each other is an even better sign.Lots of bees camping out overnight is a good sign. Scouting can go on for weeks before a swarm arrives. I have seen all of these signs and still had a swarm fail to appear.Once they are established the flight is straight in and out. Pollen entering means the queen is laying.

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

Odfrank,
Sounds like they scouting vs stealing. Interesting, I noticed the wrestling and fighting. Any thoughts on what that's about? Maybe they are arguing over what color the new curtains will be LOL Would a second box nearby increase chances? I'll put a second one up anyway for any after swarms. This and raising Queens are hands down two of the most fascinating/fun things in beekeeping.
The bees in the swarm I got last year,(different location) were all the same color and markings. The bees scouting this box are mixed. Their are dark bees with these. I guess that means they were somebodies bees at one time. Could we still call the survivors? I guess there is no real way to know.
Thanks

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

Dark bees, often, are feral survivors, as they really haven't been imported in any significant numbers for over a hundred years. That said, I've been informed that Russel Apiaries sells them now.
Anywise, my guess about the fighting thing is that bees from @ least 2 different "mother hives" are scouting it & arguing over who gets to swarm into that location...so the other box might be a grand idea

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

I watched the trap for a while this morning. Lots of activity. I had to leave at noon. There was 20 some bees around, in and out most of the time. This box is on top of a building in the woods at a park where I work part time. My daughter and her friend were at the playground with the friends' daughter. My daughter calls me about three oclock and tells me a swarm of bees came out of a bush by the playground, flew over and headed into the woods. I coaxed her into going and looking at the box. She said there were bees around but the box but the swarm was flying around in the trees. Hard to say but I'm hopeful. I'll find out tomorrow.
I put a second box about 75 feet away from the other. The bees were checking it out within the hour. Amazing

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

Bow wow wow yipee yo, yipee yea!!!! Bees went in Checked today. Behavior much different. Bees going and coming like a "regular" hive. Guards at the entrance. Incoming are heavy. No pollen but might be a couple of days before the queen gets going depending on mother or daughter. It was light rain as well this a.m. Swap them into a regular hive tomorrow maybe to free up my swarm box and reset it. Might be some after swarms Wish I could find out where they came from. Couldn't be too far. They clustered on a tree nearby. This is like fishing for a big fish and catching one. Actually, it is better

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

Not so sure I'd recommend moving them so soon...especially if you're planning to put the "regular hive" anywhere within about 3 miles of where you caught them. It would probably be best to leave them in there long enough to get a little open brood going, that way the open brood will help "anchor" them in their new home when you move 'em.

Aside from that, CONGRATULATIONS on your first catch!
(now's the time to start building about 50 more traps, right?)

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

You are correct and good advice. I wasn't going to move them. Just transfer them. It s a nice swarm trap. Plus, I'm moving to foundation less. So I want to get them comb drawing fools busy. Might take a frame of brood with me too.
I have a couple others out and about I love it.
Thanks

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

You can move hives with fresh, foundationless combs (I've done it myself, actually), but odfrank's right overall... The new foundationless combs are VERY pliable, and I do sometimes have 1-2 that get damaged, even when being "very careful" with them (the road always seems bumpier when you have a hive full of newly drawn foundationless comb in the back), so be sure to make an informed decision & check the amount of attachment your combs have before transporting any hive.

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

I thank you for derailing a potential train wreck. My set up is this: I use deep frames with a guide/starter piece, usually a wood strip like Popsicle sticks, with four lines of fishing line. I am going to give that to them on Monday and transfer them to my hive set ups. any wax comb into frames for them affix. I do plan to leave the the hive there for a while and I understand I did not indicate that. Probably a good thing so the lesson was learned from others

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

My co worker shot this with his iphone. This swarm moved into this box 6 days ago. I needed to transfer it. It went a lot better than I thought it would. Hope you found it worth watching.
BTW, this was on top of a shipping container box. We were about 10 feet off the ground. Working with out a nethttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A72bb...hannel&list=UL

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

May I make a suggestion... In your swarm traps if you place the comb against one wall, and put one or two frames of foundation, (even if it is multiple year old foundation) and I always put two, I don't have them dropping comb in the swarm boxes. They rarely move beyond the foundation to draw comb. Try it.

Re: Behavior around swarm traps

I keep my swarm boxes full of top bars, then all combs get dropped nicely on the bars, since you're wanting to go foundationless, you can use your foundationless frames in place of my top bars to accomplish the same effect. ... that way the bees move in, and simply turn it into a hive full of nicely drawn combs for you...easy as pie to transfer too